Destabilising the Asian-Pacific status quo and unsettling China is not an end in itself. Regional powers are unnerved by erratic and even contradictory signals from the US

Donald Trump’s first letter to Xi Jinping counts, by the US president’s low standards, as a successful stab at basic diplomacy. It tepidly anticipates constructive relations with the Chinese president. Sent almost three weeks after his inauguration, it wishes the Chinese people a prosperous Year of the Rooster, which began almost a fortnight ago. The 20 or so world leaders to whom the new president has spoken have not included the man on the other side of arguably the most important bilateral relationship.